Mesostigmata

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Phytoseiidae with all setae in the S-series and Z1 suppressed
• Seta s6 present, z3 present but often minute; Z4–5 usually enlarged, barbed and with insertions usually contiguous.
• Genu II with 7 setae; genu III with 6 setae. ~150 described species.

Similar taxa

Species of Paraphytoseius (Amblyseiinae) strongly resemble species of Phytoseius but have serrate-chelate chelicerae and lack setae z3 and s6. Species of Platyseiella lack setae z3.

Key to genera of Phytoseiinae

1. Seta z3 absent, s6 present.............................. Platyseiella Muma
   - Seta z3 present, s6 present or absent............................... 2

2. Seta z6 absent, s6 present; dorsal shield setae barbed, usually acicular, fine to thickened.............................. Phytoseius Ribaga
   - Seta z6 present, s6 absent; dorsal shield setae spatulate/paddle-shaped.............................. Chantia Pritchard & Baker

Ecology and distribution

Species of Phytoseius are found worldwide and some have proven useful as biocontrol agents of eriophyoid mites.

References

• Beard and Walter 1996Beard and Walter 1996:
  Beard JJ, Walter DE. 1996. Australian mites of the genera Paraphytoseius and Paraamblyseius (Acarina: Phytoseiidae). Australian Journal of Entomology 35: 235–241.
• Chant and McMurtry 1994Chant and McMurtry 1994:
  Chant DA, McMurtry JA. 1994. A review of the subfamilies Phytoseiinae and Typhlodrominae (Acari: Phytoseiidae). International Journal of Acarology 20: 223–310.
• Denmark and Schicha 1983Denmark and Schicha 1983:
  Denmark HA, Schicha E. 1983. Revision of the genus Phytoseiulus Evans (Acarina: Phytoseiidae). International Journal of Acarology 9: 27–35.
• Krantz and Ainscough 1990Krantz and Ainscough 1990:
  Krantz GW, Ainscough B. 1990. Mesostigmata. pp. 583–665. In: Dindal DL, ed. Soil biology guide. John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.
• Schicha 1987Schicha 1987:
  Schicha E. 1987. Phytoseiidae of Australia and neighbouring areas. Indira Publishing House, Oak Park, Michigan.
• Schuster and Pritchard 1963Schuster and Pritchard 1963:
  Schuster RO, Pritchard EA. 1963. Phytoseiid mites of California. Hilgardia 43 (7): 191–285.
• Tseng 1976Tseng 1976:
  Tseng YH. 1976. Systematics of the mite family Phytoseiidae from Taiwan, with a revised key to the genera of the world (II). Journal of the Agricultural Association of China 94: 86–128.
• Walter 1997bWalter 1997b:
  Walter DE. 1997b. Notes on Australian Typhlodrominae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) with descriptions of two new species of Neoseiulella Muma from tropical rainforests in Far North Queensland. Australian Journal of Entomology 36: 333–338.
• Walter 1999Walter 1999:
  Walter DE. 1999. A review of Australian Asperoseius Chant, Euseius Wainstein, Okiseius Ehara and Phytoscutus Muma (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) with a key to the genera of Australian Amblyseiinae and descriptions of three new species. Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 85–95.
• Walter and Beard 1997Walter and Beard 1997:
  Walter DE, Beard JJ. 1997. A review of the Australian Phytoseiinae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 11: 823–860.
• Walter et al. 1998Walter et al. 1998:
  Walter DE, Azam G, Waite G, Hargreaves J. 1998. Risk assessment of an exotic biocontrol agent: Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) does not establish in rainforest in south-east Queensland. Australian Journal of Ecology 23: 587–592.
• Walter and Proctor 1998bWalter and Proctor 1998b:
  Walter DE, Proctor HC. 1998b. Predatory mites in tropical Australia: Local species richness and complementarity. Biotropica 30: 72–81.
• Womersley 1954aWomersley 1954a:
  Womersley H. 1954a. Species of the subfamily Phytoseiinae (Acarina: Laelaptidae) from Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 2: 169–191.